The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) suspended the FSSAI licences of nine restaurants and directed them to stop operations after its enforcement teams found violations including pest infestation, expired food articles, poor hygiene, improper storage and inadequate food-handler records. During its inspection of 20 establishments in Medak, Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts, the teams also collected 21 samples on suspicion of adulteration and sent them for analysis.

Ten enforcement teams comprising food safety officers and police personnel conducted the special drive and reported the presence of houseflies, cockroaches, rodents and rat faeces at some establishments.

Other violations included lack of water testing, pest-control and health records, spoiled or contaminated vegetables, wet and untidy flooring, improper refrigeration and storage of prepared food, poor hygiene among food handlers, labelling violations, poor drainage, greasy exhausts and chimneys, damaged walls and ceilings and improperly cleaned utensils.

The FSSAI licences of nine establishments were suspended with instructions to stop business operations immediately: Zyka Multi Cuisine Family Restaurant, The Malgudi Restaurant, Sri Vasudha Family Restaurant, New Udipi Krishna Bhavan, Lufyans Family Restaurant and Taj Family Dhaba in Kamareddy district; and Rejuvenate Hotels (Mr. Pottel Meat Mate), Hotel Nikhil Sai International and Hotel Glamour in Nizamabad district.

At Zyka Multi Cuisine Family Restaurant, officials reported rat and lizard faeces in the store, improper refrigeration with raw meat and cooked food stored together, and lack of pest-control and health records. The Malgudi Restaurant was found to have uncovered drains with water stagnation and raw and cooked as well as vegetarian and non-vegetarian food stored together, posing a risk of cross-contamination.

Sri Vasudha Family Restaurant was reported to have poor segregation of raw and cooked food, improper waste disposal and unhygienic storage of raw chicken, mutton, boiled vegetables and prepared gravies. New Udipi Krishna Bhavan had expired food articles, housefly infestation and the presence of rats and pets, according to officials.

Lufyans Family Restaurant was reported to have flies and cockroaches, while Taj Family Dhaba had flies and cockroaches, uncovered food and improper storage of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food materials together.

In Nizamabad, officials reported pest infestation and expired food articles at Rejuvenate Hotels, heavy cockroach infestation and fungal contamination of food articles at Hotel Nikhil Sai International, and storage of raw and boiled meat together and poor hygiene at Hotel Glamour.

Improvement notices will be issued to five establishments in Medak, Kamareddy and Nizamabad districts, with reinspection planned to verify compliance. Show-cause notices will be issued to six other establishments, following which action will be initiated for imposing penalties.

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